The New York City-based Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI) offers a Chef's Training Program. The course is a 619-hour program in vegetarian culinary arts and is licensed by the New York State Department of Education. Students can take classes full- or part-time. Aspiring chefs learn the basics of kitchen equipment and and gain expertise in whole grain baking techniques. Converting traditional recipes to vegan dietary guidelines is also taught. Graduates go on to pursue culinary careers at vegetarian restaurants or as personal chefs, food writers and nutritionists.
Natural Gourmet Institute
48 West 21st St., 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10010
212-645-5170
naturalgourmetinstitute.com
Teaching cooking without recipes is the hallmark of The Professional School of Natural Cookery in Boulder, Colorado. Students learn to cook intuitively and creatively, preparing meals with ingredients that are on hand. The school's foundation course for aspiring culinary professionals is 16 weeks in length and covers fundamentals such as working with vegetable proteins (tempeh, tofu), whole grains, sauces and soups. Subsequent foundation studies train students in baking, ethnic cuisine, food presentation and nutrition. Upon finishing the foundation course, students can complete additional professional training to become personal chefs or teachers of natural cookery techniques.
The Professional School of Natural Cookery
P.O. Box 19466
Boulder, CO 80308-2466
303-444-8068
naturalcookery.com
The 800-hour Culinary Training Program offered by The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts teaches aspiring chefs about vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Students learn how to use beans as a primary source of protein, cooking methods for whole grains and raw food preparation. Students have the opportunity to complete an internship as part of the Culinary Training Program.
The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts
4709 Sagebrush Trail
Austin, TX 78745
512-476-2276
naturalepicurean.com